The monstrous creature writhed furiously, attempting to throw Enzo off its back.
"Enzo!" Matilda cried out, desperate to rescue him.
But Enzo rejected her, "Matilda, just take care of yourself. I will handle this beast. Moreover, there seems to be something within it. Go fetch help!"
"What about you?" Matilda inquired, worry etched on her face. "You can't die! I've only just become your woman, and I refuse to live a life of widowhood."
"Fear not! I have many women, and I wouldn't want them to mourn for me!" Enzo replied with a gentle smile, but the creature jolted violently, nearly sending him tumbling off.
"Be careful!" Matilda warned before turning to dash outside in search of reinforcements.
Rushing back to where the others were resting, Matilda urged, "Everyone, hurry! Enzo is battling a colossal monster and is in grave danger!"
Upon hearing this, the group sprang into action, racing towards the depths of the cave.
Meanwhile, Enzo clung desperately to the creature's back, relentlessly pounding against its impenetrable scales, his efforts yielding little result.
"Hmph, let me break your defenses with elemental energy!" Enzo declared, gathering a potent mix of elemental energy in his hands and directing it toward a gap in the creature's scales.
With a resounding "Boom!" the energy successfully breached a small opening in the beast's armor, inflicting pain and eliciting a thunderous roar that set it into a more frenzied thrashing.
At that moment, Patricia and the others arrived.
"Enzo, we're here to assist you!" Patricia shouted, casting her spells at the creature.
The others also unleashed their signature moves, and soon, a dazzling array of elemental energies and spells intertwined in a brilliant display as they all surged toward the beast.
The monster was somewhat disoriented by this wave of attacks, its movements beginning to slow down.
Seizing the opportunity, Enzo once again gathered elemental energy, this time targeting the monster's eyes.
"Withstand this!" Enzo shouted loudly, a dazzling beam of elemental energy shooting towards the monster's eyes.
Unable to dodge in time, the monster was struck in one eye by the beam, emitting a shrill scream as its massive body began to sway.
"Keep attacking!" Enzo cried out.
As one, the group continued to launch relentless attacks at the monster.
Under the fierce assault of the group, the monster gradually began to falter. Its body was covered in wounds, black blood flowing from the injuries, staining the surrounding ground red.
"One final blow!" Enzo yelled, leaping high into the air, gathering all his strength and fiercely smashing towards the monster's head.
"With a thunderous roar." The monster finally collapsed to the ground, silent and still.
Enzo landed, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Phew, it's finally over."
Exhausted, the group gathered around, breathing heavily.
"Enzo, are you okay?" Matilda asked with concern, her eyes filled with worry.
"I'm fine, thanks to everyone." Enzo said with a smile.
At that moment, someone noticed the monster's body gradually disintegrating, and in its original spot, a strange glowing pearl appeared.
"Is this... the Fierce Beast Pearl?" Matilda exclaimed in surprise.
Enzo walked over, picking up the orb and examining it carefully. The orb emitted a soft radiance in his hand, and he could sense the immense power contained within.
"It must be the Fierce Beast Pearl." Enzo remarked. "We have finally found it."
The crowd was filled with excitement, knowing that they would finally pass this assessment.
"We should leave this place quickly." Patricia suggested.
"Wait a moment." Enzo interjected suddenly. "The fact that this monster is guarding the Fierce Beast Pearl here implies that this cave may hold other secrets. Let's explore further, there might be more treasures awaiting us."
Enzo's reasoning resonated with the group, prompting them to decide to delve deeper into the cave.
As they searched around the cavern, they indeed stumbled upon some peculiar findings. Tucked away in a corner of the cave, there lay a pile of ancient books and scrolls, covered in dust. These antiquated texts and scrolls appeared to be of great value.
Enzo picked up one, gently blowing off the dust, only to find that he could not decipher a single word on it. Nonetheless, he could sense the preciousness exuding from these books and scrolls.
"Let's bring these back for further study." Enzo proposed.
The group nodded in agreement, collecting all the books and scrolls.
Suddenly, the cave was engulfed in a violent tremor, as if the entire structure was on the verge of collapse.
"Uh-oh, run!" Enzo shouted, prompting everyone to scramble towards the exit.
They swiftly made their way out of the cave, only to be greeted by other Fierce Beasts from the Fierce Beast Valley converging towards them.
"It seems these Fierce Beasts have caught the scent of the monster's blood and are drawn towards it." Enzo remarked, furrowing his brow.
"What should we do now?" Matilda asked, her voice tinged with fear.
"Fear not, we have the Fierce Beast Pearl. Perhaps we can use it to ward off these creatures." Enzo said, raising the Fierce Beast Pearl.
At the sight of the Fierce Beast Pearl, a sudden stillness fell upon the surrounding Fierce Beasts. Their eyes revealed a hint of fear, showing a deep reverence towards the Fierce Beast Pearl.
"Let us proceed at a leisurely pace." Enzo murmured, lifting the Fierce Beast Pearl and heading towards the exit of the Fierce Beast Valley.
Though the Fierce Beasts surrounded them, they kept their distance, growling softly.
"At last, we can return to the city of Alfa." Matilda approached Enzo, saying, "Enzo, when we get back, I will have my father invite you for a meal. I will inform my father of my intention to marry you."
"What? You wish to marry Enzo?" Patricia looked surprised at Matilda.
She was unaware that Matilda and Enzo had already engaged in a romantic affair.
Besides, she remembered Matilda never showed much interest in Enzo.
The sudden decision to marry him seemed unbelievable.
Matilda nodded, "Indeed! I will not wed anyone but Enzo in this lifetime."
"Aha."
Just as Matilda finished speaking, a cold chuckle came from ahead, "What a truly treacherous pair you make!"
"Who goes there?"
Matilda was taken aback, turning to look in the direction of the voice.
Weiss, from the Temple of Pride, had an evil grin on his face as he watched them. "Enzo, I did warn you that you would pay a price."
"Do you wish to meet your demise?" Enzo glared at Weiss.
Weiss chuckled, "Well, let's see who meets their end. If you wish to live, leave the Fierce Beast Pearl behind."
"Weiss, if you seek to harm Enzo, you must go through me first!" Matilda rebuked angrily, "Are you trying to provoke a conflict with the White Family? If so, come and face the consequences!"
"Matilda, have you no shame?" Weiss snapped, "You know well of your noble lineage in the White Family. Are you truly planning to marry this Enzo? You are only bringing disgrace upon your family."
"Silence!" Matilda shouted, lunging towards Weiss in a fit of rage.
Weiss was taken aback when Matilda sprang into action without warning. He quickly sidestepped, yet a glimmer of her icy divine arts grazed him, encasing his arm in a thin layer of frost.
"Hmph, Matilda, to think you would strike me for this scoundrel—mark my words, you shall regret it!" Weiss seethed, gathering a formidable surge of elemental energy in his hands, retaliating fiercely against Matilda.
Enzo, witnessing this, could not allow Matilda to face Weiss alone. He handed the Fierce Beast Pearl to Patricia. "Patricia, take the Fierce Beast Pearl and ensure its safety. We shall join you shortly." With that, he charged toward Weiss.
Enzo's speed was astonishing, and in the blink of an eye, he stood before Weiss, delivering a punch that cut through the air like a tempest. Weiss was undeterred, countering with a strike of his own, and both were jolted back several paces by the force of their clash.
"Enzo, today marks your demise!" Weiss bellowed, unleashing his ultimate technique—a colossal blade of elemental energy aimed straight at Enzo.
Enzo's gaze sharpened. He sensed the tremendous power behind the attack and refused to take it lightly. He swiftly conjured the Soul Fortress, channeling various elemental energies to form a protective shield before him.
"Boom!" The energy blade collided with the shield, producing a deafening roar that rippled through the air, distorting the very atmosphere. Enzo felt a tingling numbness in his arm, yet the shield absorbed the brunt of the onslaught.
"Is that all you've got?" Enzo mocked, swiftly vanishing from sight, only to reappear behind Weiss, delivering a decisive kick to his back.
The kick landed squarely, sending Weiss sprawling forward, crashing heavily to the ground. He staggered to his feet, eyes ablaze with venom. "Enzo, I will not let you escape!"
At that moment, Matilda arrived, declaring, "Weiss, you despicable coward, how dare you ambush us here!"
Weiss let out a contemptuous sneer, "Matilda, do not delude yourself into thinking you can protect him. Today, I shall end both his life and yours. How dare you betray the Temple of Pride for him? You shall not escape unscathed."
With that, Weiss charged at Enzo once more, while Matilda attempted to intervene, only to be obstructed by several of Weiss's subordinates.
"Get out of my way, you scoundrels!" Matilda cried, unleashing her icy divine arts, engaging in a fierce battle with Weiss's minions.
Enzo and Weiss resumed their intense clash, exchanging blows in a relentless struggle. Enzo noticed that Weiss seemed stronger than before. It was evident he had been diligently training during this time.
"Enzo, resign yourself to your fate. You shall not evade me today. I have laid a trap here that ensnares you. You have no escape." Weiss declared as he launched another strike.
A jolt of alarm surged through Enzo. He sensed hidden waves of energy swirling around them. Could it be that Weiss had devised a sinister plot?
Just then, the very fabric of the surrounding space began to shift. Beams of light erupted from the ground, coalescing into a colossal energy cage that ensnared both Enzo and Weiss within its confines.
"What is this?" Enzo furrowed his brow, questioning the strange phenomenon.